Romancing the Dream

Owes its flavors to oxidation levels between green & black tea.


User avatar
Feb 16th, '09, 20:12
Posts: 39
Joined: Nov 1st, '08, 08:49
Location: Barcelona

by engar » Feb 16th, '09, 20:12

Herb_Master wrote:
engar wrote:My supreme+ and king samples are waiting on the fridge until I recover my palate (I´m cold :evil: ).
May I wish you success with your brewing when you warm up!

Is Barcelona cold at this time of year?
Thanks!
Barcelona is not cold, the funny thing is that I was in Prague and Madrid (pretty much colder than Barcelona) the last two weeks and I got cold as soon as I arrived back home.

User avatar
Feb 17th, '09, 21:35
Posts: 1777
Joined: Jun 4th, '08, 19:41
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Stockport, England
Contact: Herb_Master

by Herb_Master » Feb 17th, '09, 21:35

I have been drinking more Rich Barbarian tonight and continue to like it, I have been brewing in Gaiwans today and can't decide one way or another.

I think the first infusion from the Gaiwan has an intensity that surpasses any infusion from a Yixing, but certainly post infusion no 2 (no 3 onwards) I think the Yixing is a clear winner with a greater depth of complexity and layered balaNCE.

It is of no consequence I love them both for what each of them is and will continue to swap between the brewing methods as my mood dictates!

BTW
I started on my Wan Ling TKY today and I like it - it has differences to Rich Barbarian - but they are nuances - and nuances make the world of oolong so enjoyable - I will post more when I can work out a way of describing the nuances :lol:

But for now (come Spring) I can certainly see me wanting to buy from both RB and Wan Ling
Best wishes from Cheshire

User avatar
Feb 18th, '09, 01:13
Posts: 747
Joined: Dec 30th, '07, 00:10
Location: Earth

by PolyhymnianMuse » Feb 18th, '09, 01:13

I've been talking to the Rich Barbarian about possibly sourcing his supreme and supreme+ teas in the states a little bit. I don't see myself ending up anything like Scott with YSLLC or Jim with Puerhshop, but I see everyone that has tried his teas seem to enjoy them enough to buy them again.

We've been talking of doing something like 50 gram bags, since that seems to be a standard amount with most other vendors and is a nice amount to keep from losing freshness before you drink it all.

I'd just like to get everyones feedback on whether they would be interested in purchasing this tea in quantities beyond the 10g packets, before I actually make any kind of final decisions.

User avatar
Feb 18th, '09, 06:31
Posts: 1777
Joined: Jun 4th, '08, 19:41
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Stockport, England
Contact: Herb_Master

by Herb_Master » Feb 18th, '09, 06:31

PolyhymnianMuse wrote:I've been talking to the Rich Barbarian about possibly sourcing his supreme and supreme+ teas in the states a little bit. I don't see myself ending up anything like Scott with YSLLC or Jim with Puerhshop, but I see everyone that has tried his teas seem to enjoy them enough to buy them again.

We've been talking of doing something like 50 gram bags, since that seems to be a standard amount with most other vendors and is a nice amount to keep from losing freshness before you drink it all.

I'd just like to get everyones feedback on whether they would be interested in purchasing this tea in quantities beyond the 10g packets, before I actually make any kind of final decisions.
I really like the Tins and small foil packets, I think larger packaging would be a retrograde step! Not sure that a U.S. source would be of any use to those of us in England, Iceland, Barcelona and Romania who have ordered from the Barbarian.
Best wishes from Cheshire

User avatar
Feb 18th, '09, 10:11
Vendor Member
Posts: 2084
Joined: Sep 24th, '08, 18:38
Location: Boston, MA

by gingkoseto » Feb 18th, '09, 10:11

PolyhymnianMuse wrote:I've been talking to the Rich Barbarian about possibly sourcing his supreme and supreme+ teas in the states a little bit. I don't see myself ending up anything like Scott with YSLLC or Jim with Puerhshop, but I see everyone that has tried his teas seem to enjoy them enough to buy them again.

We've been talking of doing something like 50 gram bags, since that seems to be a standard amount with most other vendors and is a nice amount to keep from losing freshness before you drink it all.

I'd just like to get everyones feedback on whether they would be interested in purchasing this tea in quantities beyond the 10g packets, before I actually make any kind of final decisions.
I like the tin can and vacuum bags too. But I believe 50g packs are worth doing if there is good price break. RB already has very good shipping rate, so there isn't much space to improve in that aspect.

If you live in or nearby a larger city, you may also try to collect some local opinions. I somewhat feel, teachatters are a small group of people who have good taste of tea. Out of tea chat, I don't see such kind of people very often, unless you get connected to some local tea lover club kind of thing.
By sitting in peace and doing nothing,
You make your one day worth two days.

User avatar
Feb 18th, '09, 10:34
Posts: 747
Joined: Dec 30th, '07, 00:10
Location: Earth

by PolyhymnianMuse » Feb 18th, '09, 10:34

Herb_Master wrote:
PolyhymnianMuse wrote:I've been talking to the Rich Barbarian about possibly sourcing his supreme and supreme+ teas in the states a little bit. I don't see myself ending up anything like Scott with YSLLC or Jim with Puerhshop, but I see everyone that has tried his teas seem to enjoy them enough to buy them again.

We've been talking of doing something like 50 gram bags, since that seems to be a standard amount with most other vendors and is a nice amount to keep from losing freshness before you drink it all.

I'd just like to get everyones feedback on whether they would be interested in purchasing this tea in quantities beyond the 10g packets, before I actually make any kind of final decisions.
I really like the Tins and small foil packets, I think larger packaging would be a retrograde step! Not sure that a U.S. source would be of any use to those of us in England, Iceland, Barcelona and Romania who have ordered from the Barbarian.
The tins and small foil packets are of course nice, and if you would want to order it that way only and get a tin every time thats perfectly fine. I do not agree that larger packaging would be retrograde though, especially in only 50 gram amounts. Also like I mentioned it wouldn't really be something where I'm not going to be shipping worldwide, that's why I mentioned just being a US source and thats basically what RB has in mind as far as I know.
gingko wrote: I like the tin can and vacuum bags too. But I believe 50g packs are worth doing if there is good price break. RB already has very good shipping rate, so there isn't much space to improve in that aspect.

If you live in or nearby a larger city, you may also try to collect some local opinions. I somewhat feel, teachatters are a small group of people who have good taste of tea. Out of tea chat, I don't see such kind of people very often, unless you get connected to some local tea lover club kind of thing.
I was planning on doing this too. I figured teachat might be a good thing to start something of this sort, but I'd also try to sell locally and to friends and family and all that. Its really just something that caught my interest. I really don't look to make a lot of money off of doing this if I plan to do it but I sure do have the time for such a side project, plus the RB seems very eager to work out such a thing...

User avatar
Feb 19th, '09, 03:39
Posts: 1132
Joined: Nov 28th, '08, 15:14

by Oni » Feb 19th, '09, 03:39

I have recieved my 2 packages of TGY supreme+ from RB, I`m eager to try it. I regeret buying it so early, just after I bought my supreme+, they released King grade, I would have ordered from that too, I still have other TGY, and a good memory from the ones I tried before, i have great expectations, sofar the packaging surpassed all, the tin keeps the tea away from sudden heat fluctuations, and the vacuum packs are stripped of air hard, and the whole pack was in an airtight foil, so the shipping and packing were sofar the best, I had only matcha packed so meticulously.

User avatar
Feb 20th, '09, 04:14
Posts: 1132
Joined: Nov 28th, '08, 15:14

by Oni » Feb 20th, '09, 04:14

The tea unfortunately didn`t meet the high expectation I had with it, it was good tea, similar to Kams, maybe the King grade would justify the double price compared to supreme+, S+ had the orchid aroma, flowery liquer, it had hui gan, better gan that all of the teas I have at home, but there are still 3 TGY I need to try to get a complete picture of this tea, my next order will be from Dragon Teahuse, I will try their Nonprail grade, and the Premium Charcoal baked version, and Teasprings shen yun, after trying these I believe I will have a complete picture of this tea, I dedicated my only Yixing pot for TGY, mostly because my girlfriend loves flowery aromas in teas.

User avatar
Feb 20th, '09, 07:09
Posts: 1777
Joined: Jun 4th, '08, 19:41
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Stockport, England
Contact: Herb_Master

by Herb_Master » Feb 20th, '09, 07:09

Oni wrote:
but there are still 3 TGY I need to try to get a complete picture of this tea,
Wow Oni you are quick to assess, I am still so new to TKY that I have not even worked out my favourite brewing parameters. I am finding different impressions switching from Gaiwan to Yixing, even better I am finding varied results adjusting temperature, loading and steeping times, but worse on a different day even when I feel I am mimicking a previous session I am finding a different experience. All part of the fun of oolong I suppose. I was hoping, with so many different members buying the same tea, that several would post details of how they prefer it. I like to use Yixing and find different results from the Gaiwan, I think at the moment at the moment I need to use a high load and temperature a fair bit lower than boiling.

Nearing a complete picture, how estimable, I fear I am years away from that. Nowhere more so than in understanding the virtues of the 4 seasonal pickings. I was led to believe that Autumn was generally held to be the finest with a complex balance of subtle flavours and textures that appealed to the palate of the seasoned TKY drinker, whilst Spring was considered the second best [though favourite to many] because it had the best Green and Floral flavours, with the 2 Summer pickings not in the league of either. Well I am not a seasoned TKY drinker yet, I prefer the Summer Supreme+ (over the Autumn S+) for it's greater silky, velvety texture - but many more sessions may allow to me to find more about the 2 pickings.

I have not yet found the Silky nature and thick mouthfeel in all my infusions - I find that by starting out in the 30s infusion range and moving up in 10s stages there are many similarities but if on the3rd or 4th infusion I do a huge leap in steeping to 3 minutes or so that the thickness abounds, without any unpalatable flavours creeping in. [On some of my Non RB TKY the same thickness appears with long later steepings, but some over vegetal or slightly bitter tones creep in]

I was finding the rinse water so appealing with RB that I have now totally dispensed with a rinse for good quality TKY, this gives much better texture to the first infusion, but (with leaves still tightly rolled presumably) I find it much harder to guage the time I need to get a perfect infusion. I therefore move my first steep up from 20s to 30s and have the 2nd infusion for the same length rather than increasing it.

The downside of my new longer infusions I am using is that I only get 6 or 7 infusions, rather than the 10 I used to enjoy.

Have you much experience of the different seasons?
Best wishes from Cheshire

User avatar
Feb 20th, '09, 07:14
Posts: 1777
Joined: Jun 4th, '08, 19:41
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Stockport, England
Contact: Herb_Master

by Herb_Master » Feb 20th, '09, 07:14

Oni wrote: it had hui gan, better gan that all of the teas I have at home
This intrigues me, how does the gan reveal itself to you?

On occasions I feel emboldened, and sublimely contemplative, relaxed yet invigorated - but at other times not! Does one have to be in a specially receptive mood to enjoy the gan?

Also what is the name that one gives to the Silky, velvety texture that adds so much weight to the mouthfeel?
Best wishes from Cheshire

User avatar
Feb 20th, '09, 21:08
Posts: 1777
Joined: Jun 4th, '08, 19:41
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Stockport, England
Contact: Herb_Master

by Herb_Master » Feb 20th, '09, 21:08

Just had 2 more Anxi Oolongs tonight, neither of them RB - BUT -

A WanLing TKY Jiu Jiu Jiu and a DTH Supreme Anxi Ben Shan.

Both of them performed differently to the end of last week!
Both of them were better than when I tried them last week!
I find this whole spectrum so interesting that when you try them on different occasions they reveal different characteristics :roll:

I have to give the caveat that on the BenShan I gave a much heavier loading than before but the result on later infusions was a world apart.

I am going to experiment on my RBs with some heavier loadings and shorter steeps to see how much they change!

User avatar
Feb 21st, '09, 01:56
Posts: 1132
Joined: Nov 28th, '08, 15:14

by Oni » Feb 21st, '09, 01:56

I am also always experimenting, this is one of the best part in tea drinking, that not only the work of the tea farmer that counts, or mother nature, but also the masters that made our teapot, or even the miner who mined the clay for it, and every little detail, in your tea setting changes the flavour of your tea, there are still new frontiers that wait to be reached, for example a water container, because now I store my soft water in a 5 liter plastic container in wich it is sold, I would like to store it in a porcelain or glass container, I do not yet own a pottery kettle, nor a tetsubin, nor a silver kettle, there is much to improve in the setting.
This tea was like a very mild fruit acid, a liitle bit of sour taste could be felt on the back of my tongue, some would call it minty, I used 7 grams to 120 ml gaiwan, and after washing 5 sec, 25 seconds infusion, 25, 35, 50, 1 min, 1 min 30, 2 min, but I usually wing these as I go, as the flavour changes during subsecvent infusion.
Last year I got obsessed with gyokuro, I started buying better and better gyokuros, and the price of the tea just raised above the level that I could afford, I could not afford to buy teas that participated in the all japan tea contest, let alone the winners, this would be the same for TGY but even harder, one could navigate easyer on the japanese market than in the chinese, fewer shops sell japanese tea, that chinese, usually japan based shops are honest, if you pay 60 $ for a gyokuro, you can expect to get very good quality, but with chinese shops you risk getting fooled, they might sell you anything.

User avatar
Feb 21st, '09, 15:55
Vendor Member
Posts: 2084
Joined: Sep 24th, '08, 18:38
Location: Boston, MA

by gingkoseto » Feb 21st, '09, 15:55

Herb_Master wrote: I was finding the rinse water so appealing
I am very often attracted to rinse water too and feel I have to drink it instead of dumping it away:D You know in China many people won't call it rinse. Instead, it's called "warm up infusion" (and most people still dump the water). Now I would call it "warm up infusion" too, so that I don't have to claim I drink rinse water :P
Herb_Master wrote: The downside of my new longer infusions I am using is that I only get 6 or 7 infusions, rather than the 10 I used to enjoy.
I generally use shorter infusion time than you (20s for the first a few infusions, then slightly longer). But for most TGY, 7th infusion is about the end for me. Sometimes I would go for a few more infusions just not to be wasteful :P But overall I think 7 infusions are good enough, especially for the green roast, floral fragrant kind. What it gives in the first several infusions is more important than how many infusions it lasts for.

I am having RB's TGY again now. I absolutely love this tea. It hits me with some subtle fragrance that I remembered from some previous experience but missed for a while. It's great to have this diversity of roasts and flavors, so that we could always experience new feelings and then sometimes "reunion" with some familiar flavor :D I haven't tried RB's king grade yet, but somewhat guess the supreme+ with greener roast might be the one I prefer.
By sitting in peace and doing nothing,
You make your one day worth two days.

User avatar
Feb 21st, '09, 16:21
Posts: 5151
Joined: Dec 20th, '06, 23:33
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Been thanked: 1 time

by Salsero » Feb 21st, '09, 16:21

gingko wrote: it's called "warm up infusion" ... so that I don't have to claim I drink rinse water
Thanks for saving my self esteem!

User avatar
Mar 25th, '09, 23:48
Posts: 388
Joined: Aug 15th, '08, 20:21
Location: British Columbia Canada

by murrius » Mar 25th, '09, 23:48

Received my package of Supreme + Anxi TGY from Rich Barbarian. It took 4 weeks to arrive in Canada but is well worth it. This is the best oolong I have ever had. I'm in heaven .......

+ Post Reply